Chapter 58: Unwavering Loyalty in the Face of Darkness

Why have you come for me…?

Cecilia whispered, her voice barely audible. She simply could not comprehend why Bai Yu held such concern for her, especially since they had only just been introduced that very day.

After all, Bai Yu was a Princess of the Empire, a figure of such esteemed nobility, and there was no conceivable reason for her to pay any mind to someone like Cecilia.

“Why? Does something like this even need a reason? We’re friends.”

“Friends?”

“Exactly. All adorable girls who love pudding are my friends, you know.”

Bai Yu gazed earnestly at Cecilia, uttering words that held a touch of childish innocence.

“This… what kind of reason is that?”

Cecilia, sighing with resignation, lowered her head. Such an explanation clearly failed to win her over.

“Don’t be so downcast. So what if you don’t have magic power? That’s hardly a big deal. If all else fails, you can become my personal knight, can’t you? Aren’t you from the Morning Glory Family?”

“Personal knight?”

Cecilia froze for a moment, her mind racing. She was acutely aware of her family’s sacred duty; indeed, the personal knight for each successive heir to the throne was traditionally chosen from the Morning Glory Family.

“Precisely. I don’t have a personal knight yet, you see, and Cecilia would be absolutely perfect.”

“How could that be… I, I’m very weak. I don’t even have magic power. I can’t do anything.”

Cecilia stammered, her words broken by her insecurity.

“No, I can see it. You will achieve great things, I guarantee it.”

Bai Yu reached out and clasped Cecilia’s hand, a sudden gesture that made Cecilia jump.

Bai Yu’s gaze fixed intently upon Cecilia’s eyes, while the warmth radiating from Cecilia’s hand seemed to ignite a peculiar pull within Bai Yu’s own bloodline.

This inexplicable connection compelled her, against all reason, to choose Cecilia.

Could this truly be the hand of destiny at play?

Held captive by Bai Yu’s grasp, Cecilia found herself utterly speechless, able only to perceive the enigmatic resonance stirring within her very blood.

“I…”

Cecilia’s lips trembled, a desperate urge to speak warring with an inexplicable inability to utter a single word.

Her intuition screamed that this might be her sole opportunity to alter her destiny, a chance to shed the skin of her former, timid self.

Yet, just as she parted her lips to speak, a sudden roar ripped through the sky, immediately followed by an intense burst of fiery light.

Streaks of blistering fire shot furiously in Bai Yu’s direction!

The sheer danger of the incoming attack spurred Bai Yu into immediate action; she swiftly shoved Cecilia aside, then conjured a magic shield.

However, in a mere instant, the magic shield shattered into countless fragments, and Bai Yu was sent flying by the concussive force of the explosion, plummeting from the bell tower.

Two shadowy figures materialized from the depths of the night, surging towards Bai Yu as she fell through the air.

Their voluptuous forms, coupled with the distinctive pair of horns adorning their heads, unequivocally marked their true identity.

Cecilia instantly recognized the encroaching figures. A chilling bewilderment gripped her; she couldn’t fathom why demons would suddenly appear within the ducal lands, nor how they had managed to infiltrate.

Terror immediately consumed her thoughts. She harbored no illusions of victory; how could a mere individual devoid of magic power possibly hope to overcome such formidable foes?

Her gaze fell upon the ceremonial sword at her hip. As a scion of the Morning Glory Family, even without magic power or innate talent, she had always maintained the custom of carrying a sword.

It was a tenet of the Morning Glory Family, yet in this dire moment, she questioned its actual utility.

Even as Cecilia succumbed to her fear, the two demons registered her presence. Nevertheless, they paid her no heed, their objective crystal clear: Bai Yu, the Princess of the Empire.

Bai Yu, plummeting through the vast expanse of air, kept her eyes closed, though she was acutely aware of the perilous situation unfolding around her.

Yet, precisely at the instant Bai Yu was about to impact the ground, time itself seemed to halt. Bai Yu gracefully adjusted her posture, landing with an almost ethereal lightness.

Witnessing this extraordinary feat, the two demons furrowed their brows, refraining from an immediate charge.

Rumors had long circulated that the Imperial Princess, despite her tender age, possessed strength far exceeding her peers. Now, they had unequivocally witnessed it firsthand; conventional attacks would prove utterly incapable of slaying her.

However, they themselves were no ordinary demons, but rather elite operatives meticulously chosen for this very assassination.

They understood that Bai Yu had to be eliminated before their presence was detected, for it was exceedingly rare to find the Princess unaccompanied by her retinue of guards.

A month prior, they had received intelligence regarding the banquet scheduled for this very day, their purpose being to exploit the event for an opportunity to assassinate Bai Yu.

They had initially resigned themselves to failure, yet to their astonishment, Bai Yu had voluntarily departed the heavily guarded banquet hall, inadvertently presenting them with a golden opportunity.

Having regained her footing, Bai Yu regarded the two demons who scrutinized her with an air of caution, a slight frown creasing her brow.

Judging by the sheer volume of magic power she sensed emanating from them, she surmised that she was likely no match for them. These two had undoubtedly arrived with meticulous preparation.

Neither of them could be considered weak.

Her only hope now was for Cecilia to remain far from this place; she harbored no desire to see Cecilia embroiled in this assassination attempt.

Having recently been expelled from her family, a consequence Bai Yu suspected she herself might have influenced, Bai Yu felt an even stronger imperative not to let Cecilia’s life be jeopardized on her behalf once more.

“Who sent you? To attempt to kill me—you have immense audacity!”

Bai Yu began to unleash a torrent of harsh words. While she knew she was outmatched in combat, she refused to concede an inch in terms of sheer presence.

Her expression grim, she glared fiercely at the two demons.

To her utter surprise, the two figures paid her no mind whatsoever. ‘Villains are supposed to be garrulous,’ she thought, ‘why aren’t these two playing by the rules?’

Bai Yu gritted her teeth, realizing her only recourse was to flee.

She unleashed every speed-enhancing spell she had ever mastered, a profound regret settling in that she hadn’t bothered to learn more.

If only she could reach the banquet hall, or even create enough of a disturbance, someone would surely take notice of her predicament.

Instantly, however, Bai Yu realized the futility of her thoughts.

Before her, two additional figures materialized, instantly sealing off her escape path.

There was truly nowhere left to run.

Bai Yu gazed upon the two newly appeared demons, instantly comprehending the gravity of the situation: this time, they were undeniably prepared.

“Quite a lot of you have come, haven’t you? I’m not sure what you want, but perhaps we could negotiate?”

Bai Yu spoke with a faint, almost desperate tremor in her voice, reasoning that it couldn’t hurt to try every possible approach, just in case one proved effective.

“Your life!”

The leading demon scoffed, her eyes burning with unadulterated killing intent. Bai Yu’s words held absolutely no sway over her.

A cold sweat instantly beaded on Bai Yu’s brow, and her small frame instinctively recoiled. From every angle, it seemed this was the prelude to her utter demise.

Just as Bai Yu found herself utterly at a loss, a golden figure suddenly interposed itself before her. With a sword clutched in both hands, the figure trembled visibly as it confronted the demons.

It was Cecilia.

Uttering not a single word, she merely fixed her gaze intently upon the demons before her. Despite her body quaking with profound fear, she steadfastly remained positioned in front of Bai Yu.

“Cecilia…”

Gazingo upon the girl before her, Bai Yu found herself at a loss for words. She had fully expected Cecilia to flee, especially since these assailants clearly held no intention of harming her.

Now, however, it seemed both of them were irrevocably trapped.

Though she knew the odds were insurmountable, she was prepared to fight to the bitter end.

Cecilia’s eyes blazed with fierce resolve. While she understood the impossibility of victory, she refused, under any circumstances, to abandon Bai Yu and flee alone.